Police-to-citizen ratio crisis: Nigeria urged to reprioritise security

As Nigeria grapples with an inadequate police-to-citizen ratio, the need to reassign police officers currently providing personal security to high-profile individuals and strengthen security for the general public has been emphasised.

The Director of Legal Affairs at the Initiative Against Human Right Abuse & Torture (INAHURAT), Maxwell Opara, made this call during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

The legal practitioner urged the prioritisation of the security needs of the general public over those of high-profile individuals.

According to him, by reassigning police officers and optimising the use of resources, Nigeria can work towards achieving a more balanced police-to-citizen ratio and enhancing overall security.

The Guardian reports that the police-to-citizen ratio in Nigeria stands at 1:650, which falls short of the United Nations’ recommended standard of 1:460.

This situation, Opara lamented, has resulted in police officers aiding and abetting criminal suspects and intimidating innocent citizens.

He cited the case of a 79-year-old grandmother, Hajia Collen Yesufu, who has accused the police of interfering in her case and “protecting a criminal suspect.”

He said: “What makes the matter more fascinating is the fact that the prime suspect is a very close friend and confidant of the IGP. This has led to the insinuation that the police have been unable to perform their constitutional duty in this case because of his interference, and this is bad for our police—not to mention both unprofessional and unethical.

“Consequently, we expect the IGP to commit to justice, equity, and fairness on this issue, considering that the suspect is well known to him. We demand a thorough explanation as to why this legitimate criminal case, which was reported and adopted with evidence collected, was never investigated.

“We also expect the IGP to come out and clarify his relationship with this lady and demand that he completely recuse himself from this matter and refrain from interfering with investigations by the EFCC, ICPC, etc., on this matter.”